Griffith Hack Clean & Sustainable Technologies

I came across an article suggesting that clean technologies, with particular reference to hybrid cars, will initially be too expensive for wide spread adoption – but there will be demand from those seeking status.  

Simply put, the purchase would be a status thing.   Read here how the TOYOTA PRIUS (TM) is the car for Hollywood stars – a group of people usually known for spending big on fashion.   Perhaps Cleantech branding is closer to fashion branding, for example, than we might have expected. The well off may purchase well know brands to elevate their status.    

Branding -and trade marks- can be as important to cleantech as it is to fashion

One way of protecting a brand is by a registered trade mark. The PRIUS (TM) is a great example – you know that brand, don’t you? It is a really strong green brand that is heavily protected by trade marks.  For retailed goods, like the PRIUS, many would argue that a strong trade mark portfolio is just as important as a strong patent portfolio.   

But trade marks are often overlooked until well down the innovation chain.  In the case of the car branded PRIUS, while the patented technology may have played a major role in building the brand, it is the trade mark that holds the accrued brand value.  And people being people buy brands, not obscure patented technology.    

Technology comes and goes but the brand lives on – the PRIUS is now in its third generation and a lot of the technology in the current generation is not shared with the original PRIUS.  But the commercial value derived from the use of the earlier patented technology is now held by the PRIUS trademark.

A registered trade mark is particularly valuable as it is easier to enforce the trade mark against others who would use it without consent of the trade mark owner.  A registered trade mark can also be sold or licenced and thus adds commercial value to the enterprise holding one.  How much do you think the PRIUS brand is worth?   Surely a brand like that is worth protecting.  

 Justin Blows